The Australian Bite

Breast cancer, body image and boys having a blast!

29 October 2009

Listen and download: MP3

Breast Cancer month is just wrapping up – a month of public education campaigns and fundraising  for breast cancer research.  So on this week’s Australian Bite we hear from breast cancer survivor, former Federal Government Minister, and Chair of the National Breast Cancer Foundation, Ros Kelly, about some of the issues and research to do with this major health issue that affects one in 11 women in Australia.  We also catch up with the recommendations of the government’s National Advisory Group on Body Image,  and then head up to the Ellendale Diamond mine in Western Australia, where there’s a whole lot of noise going on.

Looking for clues in the fight against breast cancer

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers among women in Australia, and it’s on the rise. It’s estimated that this year alone, more than 13,000 new cases will be diagnosed in women and 106 new cases in men, but the promising news is that thanks to early detection and improved treatment options, there has been a 27% decrease in breast-cancer related deaths over the last 12 years.  October is internationally recognised as Breast Cancer Month, and last Monday was Pink Ribbon Day where the public were asked to buy ribbons, pens and badges and donate money for breast cancer research. Former federal government minister Ros Kelly is Chair of the National Breast Cancer Foundation. She’s also a breast cancer survivor, and she spoke to Fran Kelly about developments in breast cancer research, what the money raised on pink ribbon day is used for.

National Breast Cancer Foundation website

Young Australians stressed out about their bodies

The Federal Government this week received the report of its National Advisory Group on Body Image. The panel was put together to address the growing problem of negative body image amongst young people. It has come up with a number of proposals in its report to the Minister for Youth Kate Ellis. It wants magazines and advertisers to only use models who are older than 16 and who have a variety of body shapes and sizes. It’s also recommending a code of conduct for the fashion industry which would include proper disclosure of digitally altered images.  The code would be voluntary but if the industry doesn’t co-operate the Government should step in and enforce it.  The advisory group was chaired by Mia Freedman, the former editor of Cosmopolitan magazine, and she spoke with Alison Carabine.

Wesbsite for the proposed national strategy on body image

Mia Freedman’s website with comments on the body image advisory group

You can read an interesting opinion piece on the body image issue written by Julie Parker from the eating disorder support group The Butterfly Foundation here

Having a blast at the Ellendale diamond mine

Blasts are a regular occurrence on mine sites, and at the Ellendale Diamond mine in far-north Western Australia, they happen nearly every second day.  The aim of a blast is to fracture the ore and make the ground easier to dig for Ellendale’s precious yellow gems. Reporter Matt Brann recently got the chance to don the hard-hat and jump in the “blast car” with Ellendale’s drill and blast supervisor Rick Blazely, to watch 12 tonnes of explosives go off!

You can see Matt’s video of the blast at the ABC’s rural website

Music (not in podcast)

Melbourne based outfit Sol Nation combines East Timorese, Indigenous and Australian cultures and music to come up with an exciting and original sound combining reggae, East Timorese folk songs, latin, afrobeat and more.

Artist: Sol Nation

Track: Forca

Album: Sol Nation EP (2009)